


And You And I

by Oubeniel



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Action/Adventure, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Gen, Japanese Culture, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Romance, Youkai
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21632002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oubeniel/pseuds/Oubeniel
Summary: Shigeru was just an ordinary man until his death. Waking up in another's body is not an easy experience. Being a Half-Demon makes it all the more dangerous. What will he do to face the irony of the new fate? Especially an unhealthy obsession with a priestess of his heart. [OC as Naraku]





	1. When they met (1)

_Great help from_ _SPaG_ _beta - Michelle._

✤✤✤

**_(The realm beyond human knowledge)_ **

Love had always been something that was hard to explain.

Maybe it was a glimpse that he would never forget, or a smile that made him happy and gave his life meaning.

But he knew love was also poison. At any time, it could break any unfortunate person who drank it.

Love was the reason he found himself sitting in a strange shop opposite a discouraged dark-haired woman lying on her back on a couch.

When an animal flops over onto its back, exposing its belly is a sign of submission. But with this woman, he could see that she was looking down on him. Anyone could tell that her pose was a sign of disrespect.

He understood her attitude, though. Even with the infinite power of the woman in front of him, his request was ridiculous.

"That’s the only thing I want," he said. "You said you could grant my wish if I give you something in return, right?"

"That’s correct. But I doubt you could pay," the woman said lazily. Her eyes were still fixed on the ceiling.

His heart sank. He bit his lip as he considered his options."I..."

The woman looked him over for some moments before rolling onto her side. She shook her head. "Why are you determined enough to try at all? Destiny is unchangeable. You’re wasting your breath."

He wondered if he should give up, but only for a moment. He raised his head and said, "It’s the only thing I want."

Whether he would be bewildered or regretted.

Even though he has to confront with suspected and hated.

Even if he ends up with nothing.

He would not drop the bone until finding it.

In response, the beautiful woman clapped her hands. " Fair enough ."

Suddenly, the shop they were in rocked violently, as if in an earthquake. He looked up and saw the woman smile.

It was a cruel smile.

It was a heartless smile.

It was a devious smile.

And also a sarcastic smile to all the existence of this world.

The last image he saw, her bright red lips opened and said a soundless. 

_ You will regret it. _

✤✤✤

**_(Sengoku Period/_ ** **_Somewhere_ ** **_/Time unknown_ ** **_)_ **

Pain.

Pain filled my body.

It was so painful that it was impossible to utter a single word as if my bones had smashed to pieces, every muscle ripped apart, and all my organs are broken.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to curse. I tried to struggle to get rid of this endless pain. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't control my body. It was as if I was trapped in some kind of terrible sleep paralysis, unable to escape.

At that moment, countless thoughts came to my mind. Even memories that I had thought were long forgotten appeared again.

My name had been Takada Shigeru. I was a thirty-two-year-old man who worked in a small company. My work was tied to computers, data, numbers, and photocopiers. My life, and even my appearance, could be summed up as 'insignificant' and 'boring.'

I had a high salary and was satisfied with my life. Unfortunately, I didn't have a wife or girlfriend. It's because I had never forgotten my first love. 

But maybe in a few more years, I would give up and marry someone like my parents had.

I didn't remember what happened. Someone must have pushed me, but I didn't know who or why. After all, I certainly didn't create many enemies in my position. It wasn't like I was the head of HR, an object of hatred and hostility.

The one thing I was sure of was that I was dead. Nobody could survive a fall from the 8th floor.

Or maybe, by the blessings of the Seven Lucky Gods, I had. That could explain why I felt as if my body had just been thrown into a meat grinder.

I must have been in the hospital. Maybe the squeaking and noises around me were the sounds of the doctors trying to save my life.

But when I tried to open my eyes, I almost fainted again.

Maybe it was because of the demons I saw all around me, or maybe the deep black hole that had appeared in my stomach and was continuously sucking in the surrounding demons greedily. Either way, it was not a pleasant sight.

If they were beautiful demons like butterfly spirits or flower spirits, my mind wouldn't have become so broken. Alas, God must hate me.

The demons that were crawling into my stomach were all ugly. Some of them were lizards with bird claws for feet. Others had human heads but the body of a snake. Some had the head of a centipede but a tiger's body. There were even bunches of black tentacles with many eyes that I couldn't begin to describe. And that wasn't all—there were hundreds and thousands more in front of my eyes.

It was as if all the evils of the world had gathered here — hate, envy, greed.

The dark side and sins came, countless as if they wanted to drown me in the abyss.

The pain grew stronger and stronger every moment. Time didn't mean anything anymore. It may have lasted a minute, a year, or a lifetime.

My mind gradually became hazy, like a boat swaying in an endless sea.

Finally, I let myself drift along the waves and rolled into the peace of darkness.

✤✤✤

When I opened my eyes again, the pain was gone.

I immediately sat up and hurriedly checked my body over.

There were bandages wrapped around my body, soaked in black blood and pus. Clearly, I’d been severely injured. If those wounds didn't kill me, the terrible hole in my stomach surely would have. Yet I was still alive, and all my injuries had disappeared. There weren’t even any scars left. In fact, my skin looked smoother than I could remember.

Somehow, I knew I owed my recovery to consuming the demons earlier. In other words, if I were to devour even more demons, my body would become stronger and recover faster. This was stunning to me, at first, but not so much when you think about it.

When I left the sickness-filled cave, the moon was shining and a little wind was blowing -- not a rough wind, but one that came in delightful small gusts and brought the fresh scent of a night forest with it.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the fragrance of the deep woods into my lungs.

My mind was filled with joy. Although I may have no longer been a human being, it had its benefits.

My childhood was attached to medicine, so much so that I was always called "Weak Shigeru." Even as an adult, I was often hospitalized because of my health problems.

But now I had a healthy body, with muscles and abs that I'd never dared dream of before. Every step, every move I made was now a demonstration of smooth coordination between muscles and bones. I charged forward at the speed of a leopard on the hunt and let the wild winds caress my hair.

I hardly made a sound when I jumped through the tree branches with just one step—just a slight vibration in the air. Adrenaline flooded my blood. If I wasn’t in such an unfamiliar place, I would probably laugh out loud now.

The roaring of a waterfall had reached my ears. Curiosity about my new face and body motivated me to run towards it.

But when I looked at my reflection in the waterfall, all my happiness faded instantly.

A handsome man was looking back at me. When I smiled, the corners of his lips lifted. When I winked, his eyelashes fluttered.

His hair was black and curly and reached to the waist. He had a masculine face with sharp lines. His eyes were confident and narrowed slightly towards the end. His smile looked arrogant, and there was a mole at the edge of his lips.

If only he didn’t have a spider scar on his back. That would be perfect.

Unfortunately, he did.

If only one thing was the same, I’d call it a coincidence. But with so many obvious similarities, I couldn't deny the truth anymore.

Had I really… become the villain in a manga series?

Not only that, but this character ends up failing in love and life. Not to mention that he was swallowed by his ambition and died in pain.

_ O God, kami, demon, please tell me, what crime have I committed? I promise to fix it now! _

✤✤✤

Forgive me for being dramatic.

Until now, the hardest thing I'd had to deal with in my life was data errors and fierce workplace competition in pursuit of a raise. It was nothing like suddenly becoming a "tragic" villain like this.

Even worse, I knew almost nothing about the plot. After all, I had only heard about it from talking to my ex-girlfriend.

I knew that it was a story about a girl from the future who suddenly appeared in the Sengoku period and accidentally broke the Jewel of Four Souls. To fix her mistake, she set out to collect and purify the broken shards. Along the way, she met kind companions who shared her goals and found her true love.

They experienced many challenges, finally defeated the final boss, destroyed the evil jewel, and lived happily ever after.

It was an incredible story. If only it weren’t about a love triangle in which the losing side is none other than me, it would be better.

I wanted to avoid that ending.

I did not want to die.

I did not want to die in regret and despair after being betrayed by the one I love.

“ _ Forget the plot, and never mind the so-called original characters _ ,” I said to myself.

Naraku may have been a villain, just a supporting character. But this was my story, and I would play the leading role. The one and only.

As if to show my determination, I stared at my new face and vowed to find happiness.

A strange, ironic voice spoke in my ear and asked, “ _ What will you do to find happiness at this age? Become a total demon? Redeem a lost love? _ ”

“ _ No! _ ” I replied. That wasn't the journey I had hoped to have. I did not crawl from hell back to life just to be satisfied with such things.

With my new abilities, I had unlimited opportunities. If I found the right opportunity, I could even have a chance to write my name into history books.

As the first rays of sunlight illuminated the forest, I created a hitatare with an illusion, ready to prepare to carry out my plans.

Suddenly a voice echoed in my ear. "Who are you?"

Hearing that voice lifted me from the despairing depths into which I had sunk. I looked up.

On top of the waterfall, looking down at me, stood a girl who wore a Miko outfit.

My throat went dry. My heart pounded in pain. A strange but familiar name rolled off the tip of my tongue.

"Kikyo..."


	2. When they meet up (2)

Sengoku Period.

The era of war and turmoil. The time that gave birth to countless brave generals on the battlefield and talented lords in the history book. It's time also the wild party of demons.

No one knows how long have the demons been demons or where they came. Their shapes are incredibly diverse. Their abilities were endless. Some people can change forms, others who can use supernatural powers. But because the primary food source of demons is humans, they are always considered a threat and need to destroy.

And I'm an assemblage of these evil things.

"Kikyo..."

Black hair and fair skin. The pink cheeks and bright red lips. Although this beauty did not reach to the point of driving a leader of an empire mad and potentially leading to his downfall, it was enough to make people remember forever.

I don't blame myself for fell in love with a strong priestess and beauty of holiness like she at the most helpless moment.

"... It's you. Onigumo!"

How touched. Even though my appearance has completely changed, you still recognize my voice. But why's your voice shaking? I won't bite.

"No wonder I found out the feeling of evil in the cave."

Without these words and the arrow of holy power aimed directly at the center of my forehead, I would probably still have the illusion that Kikyo had a bit of affection with myself.

Hold on. Why can I have that bubble? When I met Kikyo, I was just an invalid waiting to die. She picked me up and took care of me just because of pity only.

But I need putting aside the emotional problem. Some practical matters have to solve for now.

First and foremost, for someone who still has no control over new powers and never fighting like me, the chance of winning against a strong priestess like Kikyo is meager. So I have to avoid a direct conflict with her.

"Can you lower the arrow? I want to have a word with you."

The fleeting sadness on Kikyo's face made my heart beat faster.

I pressed on, "You don't wonder why I became a demon?"

Ready to sacrifice his soul for demon for a woman, Onigumo's love is admirable. But if I have to comment, that's also complete stupidity.

"No. Nothing to say at the moment. We're enemies, after all. You are a demon, and it's my job to destroy you." she answered.

Look at it. Humankind and the demon was natural enemies. Although you were once Men, you were a demon now. Try as you may, but a priestess as Kikyo, who is responsible for destroying demons to protect humanity, will never love the person like us. If heaven and earth reversed, maybe we will get a chance.

Inuyasha's always the exception. He's the main character, okay?

I pushed the image of a sulking Onigumo into the depths of my mind and shrugged my shoulders.

"But I not doing bad things. And we are talking very calmly."

"So what? Someone who can be so cruel that he uses himself as bait as you. Who knows what you're going to?" she sounded positivity.

"Because I hope you can love me."

I almost bit my tongue at the words that suddenly flowed out of my mouth. But my bewilderment was nothing compared to Kikyo's surprised face right now.

For some reason, I was expecting her different reactions.

It could be cold smiles, contempt words, or she will shooting arrows at me when I was caught off guard, rather than stand still and stare as if I've just sprouted a second head.

Then, I suddenly remembered that Kikyo was a high-ranking priestess. For such a person, the other boys might fall in love with her, but they absolutely would not dare to confess their feelings to her. Not to mention in this era, people will express their love with metaphorical poems or beautiful sayings like 'Today the moon is beautiful' (1), not this blunt.

It seems that Inuyasha had never told her that either. That thought immediately encouraged me to continue.

"Eh, umm, you know. You saved me, but I have nothing to repay you except my body. One thing, though, that my former body has reached its limit. So I was to become a demon and create a new appearance for the hope you like it."

I have heard someone say that the best way to show affection is frank and sincere. Even Onigumo must agree with that. But why do I feel like things are going wrong?

Those words were like a push to help her escape the shock. Kikyo's face finally got a bit of color in her face.

"What are you talking about? I don't want to hear it!" She turned beet red and wouldn't even look at me.

Although I was looking like a madman, the good bit was that there was no more coldness in her beautiful eyes. I scratched my hair in a habit and said in a melancholy tone.

"What do you dislike about me? Am I too tall? Is the hair too curly? Is the face too sharp? I can fix that. Now, I had absolutely nothing, but I'll do my best. If you hate me because I was a demon, then I'll find a way to be a human."

Silence enveloped us. Perhaps a minute, two minutes, five minutes have passed. I don't know. As someone who has little contact with women and does not have an outstanding social life, I don't know what to say or do in this embarrassing situation.

Finally, I heard Kikyo sigh. She lowered her bow. There is a sadness in her voice.

"If you've chosen to be a monster, then go and never show up here again."

"I am serious. And I know I was a former crime, but can you give me a small chance?"

I replied dryly. Seeing Kikyo begin to lose patience, even turning to leave, I hurriedly pressed Onigumo's feelings to the bottom and chanted after her back.

"I will always wait for you. So if you encounter any difficulties, don't be afraid to come to me."

Kikyo's footsteps suddenly stopped. But the flame of my hope was soon extinguished by hearing her say.

"Can you tell me the hobby of devils..."

Having done that, she suddenly shook her head slightly as if mocking herself before disappearing.

✤✤✤

Waiting for confirmation that Kikyo had gone, I lowered my head to look at the ground below my feet.

The grass withered, and the soil racked as if the area had just come out of a long drought. That made I couldn't help but re-perceive what a demon is, how strong and dangerous demon is.

But now, I have lost interest in learning about new possibilities of myself.

I turned and walked along the fast-flowing water.

At first, I just wanted to start a conversation to confuse her and put her off guard. That would make her never imagined that she had entered the web I had set. Once the fight takes place, it will give me the advantage to attack suddenly. Even if I couldn't win, there was a chance to run away.

I didn't believe Kikyo could spare someone like me. My past is such a dangerous bandit that he earned his name as Onigumo. Now, I am Shigeru, but also Naraku - an assemblage of evil demons and the dark side of humans.

If I'm in her position, the best way is to rub out me before I can do anything.

Not only that, in a society that places significant emphasis on bloodlines like right now, a half-demon is always considered a dirty thing. Humans abandon them, and demons despise them. From what I saw in Onigumo's memory, I know my identity needs to keep secret from others forever or would have been criticized, insulted, and treated as outcasts by communities.

But Kikyo still calmly spoke to me despite knowing my true identity. There is no sign of contempt, only mercy for a man who has gone astray. Kindness is still there, even when it has clouded by sadness and responsibility.

At that moment, I've some feelings for her.

But it's I haven't hope. Even though I could change color in Kikyo's face, she still doesn't smile.

It reminded me of the words her little sister told Onigumo how happy Kikyo was when she was with Inuyasha.

That's why I said that the things Onigumo did were worth nothing.

Kikyo's like the moonlight, it was forever on high and could never be reached.

A realist and would never give up on his ambition as I would never be able to afford it.

Because of that, although I'm a bit regret, I know I was going to bless her with Inuyasha.

After all, what good is love if it's one-sided? It was too painful, too much emotion.

Yet just words of Kikyo, it was enough to ignite the flame of hatred and envy in me. My mind filled with thoughts of wanting to chase after her, breaking her wings, and imprisoning her with me forever.

When I realized that, my blood ran ice cold.

And after that, everything pretty much went to shit.

✤✤✤

_(1) Today the moon is beautiful (Tsuki Ga Kirei Desu Ne) means "I love you" in Japanese._


	3. When they meet up (3)

If asked what I was most worried about when I knew I became Naraku, the answer was not I would have 12 days in a year turning into a bunch of monsters, but a timer bomb called Onigumo's heart.

After all, I don't know how much it will affect me.

Currently, I gave Kikyo a free pass. What if I saw Kikyo in danger or saw she was with Inuyasha?

Not hard to imagine.

Just thinking that I would fall into a loop of harming her, saving her, then continuing to hurt her was enough to make me feel a headache.

I must say, distorted feelings and loss of self-control are such as the horrid smell of rotting meat. No wonder Naraku was so determined to kill Kikyo and to rub out Onigumo's heart from his body.

But after pondering for a while, I decided to ignore it temporarily. Naraku has spent 50 years, trying so many ways, creat countless clones also failed. I don't think a mediocre office worker like myself can overcome such him.

Aside, if I put the energy and time into finding new methods, it will affect the work schedule that I have intended.

_Whoosh ~_

An arrow was pass through me.

I raised my head. Lost in the middle of my train of thought, I didn't know I had walked a path in the woods. Now, a group numbering about eight pulled up to block my exit, and a man approached me from behind. From the ragged clothes, those hungry eyes, and mouths, I could instantly guess their place.

A few months back, I was one of them, after all.

"Hey, are you okay? I was shooting at the wrong point."

The archer guy asked quickly, his voice choking with anxious. If he didn't look at me like he looked at a piece of fresh meat, those words would be much more reliable.

I responded by putting a paper fan on my lips. Naturally, he doesn't understand the meaning 'I don't want to talk to you' of this gesture, but he is still aware of the disdain I am showing. That also made the remaining people tighten their weapons in their hands.

"What are you gonna do with him? Lower your weapon and come out."

A tall man wearing a blindfold on one side suddenly appeared. His gruff voice made the people standing near me hurriedly dodge. When he stood about five-step away from me, he stopped and bowed his head.

"Please forgive us, making you scared. Do you have hurt?"

I squinted my eyes and shook my head. It looks like this is their leader.

Noticing that I was quite calm, he sighed in relief. Without me opening my mouth, the leader took the initiative to introduce himself and others.

"We are the hunters of a village near here. In preparation for winter food, we went to the mountain to hunt for an animal today." He paused for a moment and then continued with tremulous sound, "That archer... His brain has not been good, so he did an act of disobliging you. I will punish him. You can..."

"Do you want me to spare his life?" I interrupt. By adjusting the vocal cords, my voice now got a little plummy, like the voice of a teenager.

The leader immediately knelt to slam his head, make others hurry to kneel.

"Please, young master, please ask compassion. In his family, only he and his mother. If he died, she could not survive. If you are still angry, please punish only me."

I can understand the reason the leader looks so scared. After all, the outfit I'm wearing is a costume reserved for nobility. With a youthful voice and face, I look like a young noble who stumbled across the forest.

Although 'low conquers high' (1) has become commonplace in this era, the nobility is still considered the supreme class. It has absolute authority over ordinary people.

"Pick yourself up. I don't blame you." I waved my fan in a bored manner. When the crowd thanked me and stood up, I asked with the leader, "Have you been a servant?"

The civilians were incapable of understanding metaphors, slang, and jargon of nobles. Only the nobility or their principal waiters could learn that. If the Takeda family no made me study them when I was a child, I certainly wasn't going to pretend to be a noble. It's too dangerous and super-low interest rates.

But precisely because of that, the principal waiters would often die old in the castle or die young in some sewer. The nobles will never allow them to return to being civilians because they are afraid of revealing secrets.

Even if I see it as bullshit, this is a common thing in the world.

Yet here, I found a healthy servant and did not suffer any damage except his eyes.

The leader was startled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yes, young master. I served Hitomi-sama, a feudal lord of this land. He was a good person. After I was saving him, he allowed me to return to the village and live here."

"So that's how it is, huh?" I accepted with a smile. That is a reasonable explanation.

"Erm, young master, may I to ask you a question?" When I nodded in agreement, the leader asked timidly, "Where are your guardians? There are many dangerous animals on the mountain, heard that even a demon appears at night. It's not safe for you to walk alone like this."

Every time the nobles leave the castle, they escorted by the warriors. It was a tradition to show their aristocratic status and also mandatory because they are very vulnerable. He was seeing me walking alone in the forest and not having any weapons to defend myself. Naturally, he will be curious.

"Why you don't think I can be a demon?"

The gentle teasing of me made the leader more comfortable. Even others smile.

"You are so funny. What kind of demon can you be like?"

No one dared to laugh. Realizing saw that he was wrong, the archer immediately slapping himself and apologized.

"I don't want to be with them." I opened the fan to cover my mouth and said like a young master who doesn't know how things work, "I decided to go to this forest for seeing with my own eyes a rare tricolor flower. Who'd have ever thought the roads are messy?"

When I saw the leader's eyes rolling around, I said, "Which way do I go back to the borders of the forest?"

From the corner of my eye, I could see the tall man's fingers twitching in a certain rhythm.

Ten people turned into nine.

He peeked at me a few times. When he determined that I didn't notice a person disappearing, he spoke in a quiet voice.

"Young master. If you don't mind, we can escort you to the edge of the forest now. We often hunt in this mountain anyway, so we know the shortcut."

"Is that too far out of my way?" I said with a frustrated voice. The expression was also a bit impatient.

The leader says, "It will take two incense sticks ( _about thirty minutes_ )."

I felt as though a bucket of cold water had thrown in my face, but I still smiled. If I had to guess, the leader would have used all kinds of reasons to invite me to go to their village. After confirmation of my info, they will hold me for ransom.

As expected, when he saw me hesitating, he quickly showed enthusiasm.

"If you don't mind, please stop by our village to rest. In the meantime, we will contact the escort of your escort..."

The leader stopped, bewilderedly looking at my left hand, his eyes shining like a headlight.

At this moment, I was holding a large gold bar in my hand. It is an illusion. But under the attractiveness of money, the leader revealed his evil face it fast.

"If you want to live, hand it over here! Immediately!"

"You're so impatient..." I become exclamation. Then I threw it at the bandits. Dozens of eyes turned from me to gold bar.

 _Stifler_.

The gold bar falls down a stump.

"Get the fuck out! It's mine!"

"You motherfucker! Wanna die!?"

"Mine! Mine!"

"Damn it! You dare to bite me!"

The nice on the faces of those people disappeared, replaced by the madness of the hyenas scrambling for prey.

Punch, kick, bite, tear. Even someone used a weapon to stab a friend.

I coldly watched the chaos before my eyes. Ever since the arrow was deviating, I had doubts. That was confirmed even more when the leader appeared. The way he behaves and leads the situation is too familiar to me. After all, Onigumo has played the same role several times.

It' s all planned. After finding the prey, the bandits will find a way to loosen the victim's vigilance before leading the victim to the camp to take hostages. When the bandits get money, they will dispose of their old prey and search for the next one. No one would think a friendly crowd is a bunch of cruel bandits because they may blame the demons for making those people missing after all.

If the leader could hold back his greed, I hold them all in high esteem.

The leader's face turned red. He looked at me with murderous eyes. Because I was the one who started the chaos, the leader quickly rushed towards me with his raised ax.

At that moment, I could even read some thoughts passing through his eye. That made I had my eyes opened. Even the evil things Onigumo did were nothing compared to the crime he committed.

I started to have a bit of admiration for the heroine. Not everyone can maintain their sincerity in such a twisted world.

Before the ax reached my hair, my hand closed. For some reason, I can create spider silk and manipulate it at will. Durable, sharp, easy to control, and secret. Even easily scorched by fire and is probably nothing with the divine power of the priest, it has opened a massive door to my plan and cleared out possible obstacles.

I didn't expect that I would use it so soon.

Spider silk thread wrapped around his neck and his body tightened. Wait until his feet stopped struggling, I swept my eyes at the rest of the bandits.

"Is there anyone else?"

The bandits were silent like cicadas into the winter.

"Brothers, let us stand..."

The archer could never speak again. The weapon aimed directly at his weakness from all sides. In the silent forest, the weapon's sound to piercing flesh was clear. Just only a few minutes, this body not human. After doing that, the bandits hastily knelt and pleaded for their lives.

"Young master, we do it because we compelled."

"That's right, young master. He deserved to die. Dare to ambush you like that..."

"My hand was slashed by the leader. I've wanted to kill him every day..."

"If you spare us, you just tell us what to do, and we will do it."

I raised an eyebrow before rubbing my chin with my hand.

"Have you ever eaten 'prey'?"

Everyone looked surprised and then turned to look at each other. Only the grey-haired man kneeling closest to me kept the same position as he shook his head.

The disabled man spoke up, "Young master, our vice-leader said eat 'prey' is taboo. Such people sooner or later become a demon." The man in a hurry hastily added, "The archer is the vice-leader."

The archer's ability to aim is very accurate. His power is not weak, either. But he still died in the hands of his friend.

That reminds me of the betrayal Onigumo had encountered. It was also a wake-up lesson for me never to underestimate anyone in this era.

Except for the two, the rest did not dare to open their mouths. Perhaps they feared I could recognize that someone is lying.

"How many times?"

When they heard these things, their bodies relaxed. It seems they think I was just curious, not angry.

"It's three... No, four, only four times. It's because we're too hungry. Young master, we..."

I tilted my head at the other men. The disabled man who bowed so low that it looked like his head might touch the ground while the grey-haired man was still pretending as though everything was normal. There was a gasping sound behind a nearby tree, but I pretended not to hear it.

My fingers are jerking. The spider webs immediately wrap around the prey's body. Pleading sounds and screams silenced.

A deep sigh came out of my mouth when I saw the disabled man's despair look. He knew he had exposed. The disabled man stayed away from my question by moving on to something else at first. Maybe he thinks I didn't notice. It was so unfortunate; my previous job requires me to consider every word of the client before answering them. It's hard for me to see past it.

A gold bar sprouted four tiny hands leaping from the disabled man's chest and climbing onto me before disappearing.

Instead of saying meaningless words, my left hand clenched tightly. It took a while for the six bodies to stop struggling.

Now, I have two people to solve.

✤✤✤

I looked up at the trees while calculating how to handle the others. They already know who I am and what I can do. If I let them go, there's no guarantee they won't reveal the secret or use it to intimidate me when I get the chance.

After all, the other man knows about my true identity while I have nothing to threaten them.

Threatening their lives was null words. They are not afraid of death, and I have no way.

If the dead were the best-kept secret, why would I risk hanging a knife with a thread over my head?

The reasoning made by a sarcastic voice resounded again, causing my fingers to twitch. But before I could do anything, the grey-haired man lifted his head and looked at me with a steady gaze.

"Young master, may we follow you?"

"Are you crazy?"

I acted on reflex and asked back in shock when waved my hand around the grey-haired man.

"We have been joining this bandit for only a month. But from then until now only met you. So we don't have a criminal record or anything."

No wonder the others rushed into the vice-leader, only the grey-haired man stood there. His words also show the reason that the leader wanted to risk kidnapping me. If my guess weren't wrong, the leader would run away after getting a ransom and let others suffer the wrath of nobles.

Unfortunately, he's failed. Because the first person he met was me.

The grey-haired man continued with a powerful voice, not minding my attitude.

"...I was a merchant should be literate and knowledgeable about calculations. Another one runs very fast, his nose is excellent and is good at snares. We are very healthy, less sick, can protect ourselves. If necessary, we are willing to sign a contract to sell ourselves. You certainly won't regret it..."

My mouth trembles. If the grey-haired man lives in modern, I am sure he would become an excellent salesman. Even the voice in my mind started to interest.

Half-demon doesn't human nor demons. You stuck between two worlds. The dilemma ends when you are entirely on one side. Neutrality does not exist.

Even if I wanted nothing more than a long and peaceful life, half-demon identity would never let me. A priest will follow me like sharks see blood. Demons treat me like a toy or a pawn that can always throw away. And human fear me as an epidemic to avoid.

Unless, unless I have power to the removing of unfounded prejudices.

Naraku does that by trying to become a demon. But I'm not going to follow that path. I don't want to throw my 'human.' That's what created Shigeru, created me now.

Then there is only one way to go.

I would become one of the most mighty feudal lords. Every knee shall bow before me. Then, nobody would have cause to complain about my identity anymore.

Moreover, the thought that priests would serve me wholeheartedly and willingly was enough to satisfy my 'dark side.'

To achieve that goal, I will need lots of different pieces. The high position, money, and subordinates are all essential things.

"What do you want with me?" I cut in quickly.

Just as I said, this guy will be a great salesman. By greeting himself, he neutralized the dangerous situation, caught my attention, and took the initiative. That talent is also why I agree to listen.

The problem is how much he wants me to pay? If no binding benefit, loyalty is fragile such as a sponge.

The grey-haired man hesitated for a moment, then stood up and took off his coat. I stared at his naked body. Although he was very muscular, his hands were dry and charred like twigs.

"The priestess of Hitomi castle said this curse is eating away at my body. First, the left arm, the right arm, then the body, two legs, then the head." He paused for a moment before continued, "Can you break it?"

I waved the fan in my hand while pondering. From what I know, Naraku is a master of the curses. Unfortunately, I have no knowledge of it in my mind.

"Why don't you ask the priestess? I am sure she can help you." I asked curiously.

He shook his head with a dull look, "She offered an extremely high price, and I have not the power to do so."

That word drives me furrowed brows. The priest or priestess made a living by selling talisman and exorcists. Naturally, they never do it for free. In the end, not everyone is as good and does not value materiality as Kikyo. But that still doesn't satisfy my question.

It looks like the grey-haired man must be desperate to the degree that he turned to the demon for help. I watched him lower his eyes, seemingly prepared for the worst outcome.

"I cannot."

The grey-haired man takes a deep breath. He put his hand in front of his eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Just kidding."

As soon as I finished speaking, the grey-haired man glared at me with rage and joy in the eyes.

"Are devils as obnoxious as you?"

That was a trial for him. Even though I don't mean to be cruel, but to work with someone like him, I need to know what he wants. Or I'll be sold by him whenever.

I looked at him, shrugged my shoulders, and replied, "It is true that I cannot directly release the curse. But I have a faster way. Also, I guarantee you will have a long and full life in the future. Is this enough?"

"You have my loyalty." The grey-haired man smirked. "My name is Ro, and the kid is Ichi. We are brothers."

I nodded while looking at a nearby tree. An 11 or 12-year-old kid gnawed his nail hiding behind a tree.

Tiny stature covered in ragged yukata. The grey hair was disheveled, and face covered with dirt. Surely that was the source of the gasping sound just now. Noticing my gaze, he hurriedly hid his hands behind his back and laughed, revealing his yellowed teeth.

"Meat?" He asked.

"Yes. You'll have meat to eat." The corners of my lips started to rise slowly.

Its sparkling eyes are all I need. Because of my childhood, I hated to see young children be hurt. Even if I didn't have any thoughts about nursing this child, I could put him in a position where he does not suffer from starvation.

While we were leaving this area, I asked them one thing I wonder about, "Are you not afraid of demons?"

"Young master. Only a madman is not afraid of demons." This benign smile that Ro was giving me right now was even scarier, "But missed the chance of survival? That's what's stupid."

"Meat." The child abruptly says.

Those words made laughter escape my lips.

"If I turn to attack, what will you do?" I suddenly asked, not expecting an answer.

"I buried some black powder(2) around this area and can activate it anytime. Maybe I'll die later. But, that will buy Ichi the time for that he could escape." Ro responded as if we were talking about the weather.

"Tsk."That is all I can say. Because I know he did not lie. Even the smell of his body cannot hide its characteristic sulfur smell. Someone is the victim of black powder as Onigumo will not confuse this with another something.

And we started towards the village of bandits.

✤✤✤

**_A/N:_ ** _Hello, everyone. I needed the help of a beta-reader. If you're interested in being involved, please contact me. Thank you very much for_ _your concerns about this story._

(1) "Low conquers high," or gekokujō: Is the phenomenon in which capable subordinates rejected the status quo and forcefully overthrew an emancipated aristocracy.

(2) Black powder: Also known as a gun powder to distinguish it from modern smokeless powder, is the earliest known chemical explosive. It consists of a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, potassium nitrate. According to some people, it smells of metallic sulfur.


	4. Into Darkness (1)

Imagine inhaling air that is exhilaratingly clean and pure, hearing, not the harsh cacophony of modern civilization, but soothing, natural sounds.

Mixed in with the wooden clogs on the ground is a gurgling brook, singing birds, humming insects, forming a tuneful melody.

That sound is just so beautiful, to the degree that all my unhappy moods about meeting Kikyo in the morning swept away.

At the same time, I can't help but wonder. If we met each other again, what kind of attitude would Kikyo have?

On the one hand, I fell disgusted at the prospect that I will become jealous. And on the other, my heart burned like on fire with this idea.

When my mind begins to wander, Ro's cheerful voice is heard in my ear, "We have arrived."

Just as the leader said, the village was only a 10-minute walk from where we met. From a distance, I can see a few little thatched-roofed houses huddled together and nestled at the shadow of the mountain. To its north are arid and weedy fields, to the east is a dark forest, while to the south is a large, fast-flowing river.

As I get closer and closer, the ruins that desolated laid out for me.

The sound of the stone crunching with each step me took when I through a ruined gate. The dilapidated houses and the suffocating atmosphere hung over this place made me raise quizzical eyebrows.

According to the words of Ro, the village had abandoned long before it used as a lair by bandits. No one knows what happened to the people who live here. They disappear after just one night like never existed. Since then, there have been a lot of spooky rumors, makes nobody wants to live here anymore but the bandits.

I'm not at all surprised. For a man who knows what nobles can do but willing to offend them like the leader and peoples who less than human, it's no problem to stay in a haunted village.

The Ro brothers were also held here as hostages in here at first. But they were saved because of Ro's eloquence and persuasiveness. Even the bandits allow Ro to go to Hitomi castle to buy things for them without supervision. That made I can't help but reevaluate the value of the man who was leading me now.

We stopped in front of the largest's house in the village. Ro pushed the loose wooden door aside. Musty smell, the smell of walls and rooms rushed out, so strong I had to cover my nose with my sleeve.

Without the need for light, I could still see the rotten wood pieces on the floor. There is no much furniture inside, only a few large jars, a worn straw mat, a tansu like a wooden closet, and dirty silk hooked on wooden bars of a single window in the room. In the middle of the house was a fire stove, hanging on it was a cast iron pot and a small piece of fish-shaped wood.

That's the first time I've seen inside an old-fashioned house. Despite having Onigumo's memories, it's still a novelty for me.

Ro looks embarrassed. Before he can open his mouths, I took off my clogs and stepped in.

Behind me is Ro's voice was chasing Ichi out to play.

Luckily, despite its poor conditions, the floor is quite clean and less dusty. I sit cross-legged beside the fire stove. If it isn't the rules of sitting according to rank, I certainly choose a different place instead of sitting on this uncomfortable straw mat.

Sometime later, Ro lighted the candle. The weak light enough for me to take a closer look at a dull room, and the man is kneeling in front of me.

"Please forgive me for this not being attentive enough," Ro said and bowing. "I'm also very grateful to you for accepting help me break the curse. I want to..."

My fan tapped on the floor when I said, "Ro. Just said a point."

Unlike Ichi, who can only say simple words, Ro can ramble all things in heaven and on earth. Although the information he mentioned is quite impressive, like Lord Hitomi's wife cheated on him with his servant, case of missing children in Hitomi's mountain or the rumor of a jewel that could grants wishes, he is also often getting off track.

I don't want to sit here until evening to hear what I need.

"Young master, don't you like me that much? I'll want to act out my thanks."

Ro's face is red, his eyes on the floor, the tone of voice reflects sadly. I even feel like I've going to have him crying. But when my shadow begins to split into black strips and wriggling, his pained expression is immediately replaced with a solemn face of a soldier.

"This..." Ro paused for a moment as if trying to rearrange what to say, "Three days ago, I went to Hitomi castle to sell some items. When I returned, these are appearing on my body. Although I can still move, there is no longer any feeling."

"Don't you feel the pain?" I let out curious thoughts in my heart.

Ro nodded in assent. "And it's not only about that."

Then, he pulled from his sleeve an iron nail that is 1 inch and stabbed into his palm. Under the candlelight, the sharp light of it glowed.

With all such movements, Ro's face did not show any expression, as if it's not his hand. But what caught my attention was the fact that no blood spilled out of the wound. With such a strong impact, it was strange.

When he pulled out the nail, only a small hole left on it.

"Immortal?" I asked.

Ro shook his head sadly. "Young master. Do you know the legend of 'Jiangshi' (1) in the mainland?"

I raise an eyebrow. In an age when the vast majority of people stick with their whole lives to their homeland, the transmission of knowledge and information is minimal. Except for the territories that are at war, communication will take five to ten days to propagate from one place to another. If the recipient is a remote location, it may take several months. That's one of the reasons why I chose to pretend to be nobles. Not only because its operating space is more significant than another identity, but also hardly anyone can attest to the truth about me.

Yet Ro knows quite a lot of new rumors, even legends from the faraway continent. It turns me on. Instead of replying, I just nodded and waited for him to continue.

"I am so scared… I will become such a disgusting thing, such as it. If I'm going to die, I want to look good doing it like a human being. Please, young master, please help me."

"Of course, I will help you." When I said, the fan was opened, revealing four triangles to form a square of black ink on it.

Ro's brown eyes light up with gratitude, and with a smile, he bent down, his forehead touched the ground, creating an extremely respectful posture.

"Thank you, young master, thank you very much. If you have any requests, please let me know. I will finish it to the best of my ability."

I nodded to returning the favor, "If that's what you want, answer me one question."

Ro lifted his face. The look in Ro's eyes tells me that he's ready for the answers.

But I'm afraid that's not a question he is imagining.

"Who you did offend?"

✤✤✤

What goes around, comes around.

That sentence means that everything that happens has a cause, from which cause results. It is a favorite saying of my grandmother. Although a lot of Shigeru's memories have disappeared after I became Naraku, her teachings remain in my heart.

In other words, the curse would not suddenly appear on someone. Ro had to do something so severe that he was cursed.

Noticing his evasive gaze, I sighed and said, "If you want me to help you, then it's best not to lie."

"That's a hard question to answer, sir." Ro got kind of a wry smile on his face.

"Don't you know?" I beat the fan into my palm. "Or don't you remember?"

If the first case, then it is very troublesome because the range is too extensive. But if the second case is even scarier.

In this turbulent time, competing by taking other people's lives is very common. Life is so cheap that sometimes a bowl of white rice is enough to pay for murder.

If Ro has offended other people so much so that he can't remember and alive well, there's only one reason to explain that those people in three meters below the ground, become food for insects.

"I... don't know. After all, I'm just a merchant so desperate that I have to join bandits to make a living. It is hard for me to offend anyone." Ro appears ashamed of his word.

I wouldn't be able to tell if Ro were telling the truth or if it was another one of his lies, anyway. But I believe he is smart. If Ro lies to me when he has a chance to save his life, it will only kill him faster.

"Try to recall what you did three days ago. Do you eat, touch anything seems strange?"

Ro's shaking his head.

As is my habit, I bit my lip. If the clue broke, my plan to save Ro needs to throw into a wastebasket.

For one brief moment, the thought of meeting Kikyo appeared, but I dispel it. Let's say Kikyo will listen to me, but I unlikely she can handle this curse. Not to mention that Kikyo often had to move to different places to exorcise demons. If she's not in the village, I don't know how to contact her.

What's worse is just thinking of maybe seeing Inuyasha also enough to make me angry. And that's only a fleeting thought. If I meet him, I wouldn't be surprised if I did something crazy.

Ah, if only I have a phone, it will be helpful. Otherwise, Messenger or Whatapp will do.

Kami-sama, I long for comfortable and convenient technology in modern times.

While sweeping around the simple house and lamenting the dullness of this era, an item caught my eye. With a spider's threads spread out in the room, I pulled it towards me.

Upon seeing that, Ro's eyes lowered to the floor, but I pretended not to notice.

I held the item in my hand, not bothering about the dirt on it but carefully examining it. Although worn, torn, and tainted, the cold and soft sensation of silk still transmitted to my fingers.

That's not the kind of fabric a thief can own.

"Where's this coming from?" I asked Ro.

"This is one of the items of the bandits asked me to take them to sell. But because it's torn, I kept it as a cleaning cloth." Ro replied, puzzled as if he doesn't know why do I ask these questions and how's that related to breaking the cruse.

"Ro," I said in a stern voice, startling Ro and kneeling on the ground. "Tell me, what was the item you sold three days ago?"

Unable to endure my gaze and the threatening black strips, Ro finally opened his mouth.

"A... a golden censer, precious artifacts, and metalworks for worship..." Ro's voice became smaller and smaller.

I look around before knocked the fan to the floor to signal Ro to stop.

Finally, I know what has happened.

At first, I thought the reason why the leader chose to attack a noble was that they hadn't encountered any prey for a month. The misery made him determined. But it turned out not only that.

In the world where time travel, demons, or magic is real, the gods certainly exist. But from what Ro lists, bandits have gone crazy enough to clear sacred items at a temple. Guess the curse that Ro encountered was the detonator that motivated the leader getting away and jumping at me before he determined my condition.

"Ro, what I to do with you?" I lamented.

Until now, I also understand why the bandits spared Ro.

When cold weapons dominate the battlefield, black powder is a rare commodity and has a very high price. Even some feudal lords see it as prohibited items. And put another way, it has money also cannot buy easy. That's why a cunning man like Onigumo never imagined that vengeance would to come upon him by a bomb.

However, Ro can find a large amount of black powder to use to the degree that it smells on him. The possibility of black powder belonging to bandits is too low. If there is such a thing to providing support, people like them will not turn against the vice leader in the forest to save themselves.

Those clues told me one thing, Ro is not that simple. Those who are greedy and see the benefit first like the bandits will not suddenly spare Ro unless he can bring more significant benefits to them.

It's a way dumped the evidence outside.

Where will buy items value unknown sources? Where will sell prohibited items on the market?

There can only be one possible answer.

The black market.

If I had to guess, I'd say Ro is black market traders.

Ro's calm attitude and feels free when talking to me also showed some of his identity. As someone who accustomed to interacting with dangerous people, of course, he will not be afraid to deal with a gentle demon.

"If you do not recover the gun from your sleeve, I will kill you," I said calmly.

In Ro's baggy sleeve, a black tube of the old matchlock gun (2) pointed below the stove. If my guess is correct, there also explosives buried there.

For my warning, Ro's finger on the trigger of his gun relaxed. He smiled bashfully, "Sir, all I've ever wanted to do is protect myself. If you suddenly jump at me, what am I supposed to do? Anyway, it is my first time, as well."

Ro said while blushing and timidly knit his fingers together. Even I had the illusion of a pastel pink setting with heart bubbles appearing behind him.

If the main character of the scene is Kikyo, Lord knows what I'll do. But with the image of a large man, six feet tall with a bearded, masculine face suddenly embarrassed like a teenage girl, the only thing I wanted to do was to pierce my eyes.

But Ro's joke immediately broke the oppressive atmosphere. That made me couldn't help praising him.

"It looks like you don't need my help," I slumped my shoulders.

Ro raised his head. In a moment, I can see his cold gaze. It filled with calculations like it's looking at and considering a valuable item. Then, in the blink of an eye, brown eyes are covered with reverence. As if it never happened, and what I see is an illusion.

"I just don't think it has anything to do with the curse." Ro sighed, "I done this multiple times, anyway."

Ro said indiscriminately, but I do know he is testing my attitude.

"Seems like the black market trader is fearless."

"You're kidding again. I'm just a coward who wants to live comfortably in this world." Seeing me not going to continue, Ro suddenly asked, "Young master, how do you know I'm a black market trader?"

"I guess. But it has just been confirmed by your words."

I heard the snickers out of my throat. A glassy-eyed look of Ro will probably is one of the fun enough things that I never forget.

I get Ro's reluctance to reveal his identity. That's the same reason why I want to hide my Half-demon. Status, position, and honor are everything in a society characterized by an acute awareness of rank, ranging from nobility to slavery. Traders are always viewed as dirty and inferior by other classes. And black market traders are considered worse than those who rob thieves. Ro fears being underestimated by me and refusing to help him.

"Ro, I don't care who you are. Whether or not you have done something wrong is not the point. Just remember, you are my subordinates now." I said positivity.

Ro hesitated and then answered, "Yes. Young master."

"About your crush ... Do you know any signs of divine worshiped in this temple?"

Each god's temple is marked with different symbols, showing which god worshiped. After all, there are eight hundred thousand gods in this country. Without the markings, it is difficult to distinguish.

Ro frowned and answered, "According to the bandits, it is the temple of the mountain guardian. It used to be called the Toragami temple before being abandoned because of the disappearance of the people here."

Lucky, that's not a typical god. If it was the shrine of Izanagi, Susanso, or Amaterasu (3), then instead of considering removing the curse, I need to find how I will die. In the end, what I was about to do could be regarded as blasphemy if this Toragami is divine.

"Is there anything else I need to know?" I've forced my mind active when I said.

My attitude of acceptance made Ro more open. Especially regarding his life-and-death matters, he enthusiastically said.

"From what I know, it's a big tiger that appeared in this mountain about ten years ago. Sometimes there were rumors that the jungle who came here heard it roar. I have inquired information from older adults in Hitomi Castle, but they all say there has never been a case of tiger attacks. Therefore it is always considered a rumor." Ro forehead wrinkles and took a while to calm down. "Because of that, the bandits cleaned up the things at the temple and asked me to sell them. Who knows Toragami exists. If I know it, I will not do this."

"Is that why you will rather choose to cooperate with demons than looking for shrine maiden?" I wonder where he's going with it.

He nodded his grey-colored head. "Yes. Anyway, Toragami is a god. If shrine maiden knows the cause, she will have called the guards to arrest me. I don't want to turn into Hitobashira (4), after all."

Shrine-maiden is considered a maid who serves a god. So Ro's fear is not unfounded. If he to be sacrificed by them, I will not be surprised.

"Do you trust me, Ro?" I suddenly asked, my voice not sincerity.

"Of course. To me, meeting you is fate's guidance." Ro answered with a false smile.

"So..." My voice became smaller and smaller. In the end, there were only whispers.

Under the candlelight, the corners of Ro's mouth gradually lifted.

"Young master. Are you crazy?"

I began calmly, "If you don't want to die, do as I tell you then. That is the best way. Of course, you might try a different approach. I will not detain you. But don't go looking for me to save you."

"Hey..." Ro hesitated to reply. I know that hesitation was not because of Ro's fear, but because he was wondering, wondering if it was worth coordinating with my crazy plan.

"If you can prepare these early... Tomorrow, we'll work on the curse."

"Hahahahaha," Ro suddenly laughed, laughing to tears, he holding his stomach, ignoring my gaze. It took a moment for him to sit up straight, his voice full of excitement, "You know, I am kind of like working with you. Young master, I hope your judgment is exactly."

"I look forward to your good news." I shrugged, stood up, and walked out the door.

Outside, the bright sun also can't dispel the gross darkness of the deserted village. While looking at Ichi, who was having fun playing with a bouncing ball nearby, I closed my eyes slightly.

"Destiny?" That word dances on my tongue, leaving a bitter taste. Thinking about this gives me a lump in my throat.

"If I was to say my prayers, I pray to get lucky be with us," I whispered, knowing that no one would hear it because it has been swept away by a strong wind.

So, I started my first move, hoping to break the turbulent future that awaits me ahead.

✤✤✤

**A/N:**

(1) Jiangshi: also known as a Chinese hopping vampire or hopping zombie, is a type of reanimated corpse in Chinese legends and folklore. It kills living creatures to absorb their life force, usually at night, while during the day, it rests in a coffin or hides in dark places such as caves.

(2) Matchlock gun (Tanegashima) was a type firearm introduced to Japan through the Portuguese in 1543. The weapon used by the samurai class and their foot soldiers. Within a few years, it changed the way war was fought in Japan forever.

(3) Izanagi, Susanso, or Amaterasu: Names of some typical gods in Shinto.

(4) Hitobashira: also known as a human pillar or human sacrifice, buried alive under or near large-scale buildings as a prayer to the gods so that the building is not destroyed by natural disasters such as floods or by enemy attacks. It can also refer to workers who were buried alive under inhumane conditions.


End file.
